"Why do you not keep your word?" angrily asked the Vicomte; "you promised—"
"People like us do not keep our promises," answered La Roulante, cynically. "You paid us for carrying off the girl, you paid us for giving her a shelter; we have done both. But if you wish to enter that room it will cost you twenty thousand francs!"
"But that is an enormous sum!" moaned Talizac.
"Not to a man like you, who has a grandee for a father, and a mother rolling in wealth. She has diamonds, plenty of them!"
"Wretches that you are!"
"Thank you! I don't care for any more of these hard names, if it is all the same to you! And now let me tell you, if you don't hand over this money that the police will be at your heels."
At the word police, Fernando went to the Vicomte. "Come," he said, "we had better not remain in this cut-throat place. You must give the matter up, that is all there is to be said."
"No, I tell you, no!" Feeling in his pocket, Talizac drew out a handful of gold and flung it at the woman.
"Take this," he cried, "and unlock that door!"
La Roulante counted the money. "No," she replied, "this is but thirty-two louis."